Profile: Two years into his big-league career, Craig Stammen has pitched a season’s worth of innings and posted a 5.12 ERA. He’s probably a bit better than that, and a good candidate for the No. 5 spot in the Nationals’ rotation, but he’s sort of a right-handed version of John Lannan: he doesn’t strike many people out, so he gives up a lot of baserunners. He took some serious strides last year, improving his strikeout rate from catastrophic to mediocre, so he could well be a serviceable number-five starter, but he’ll be 27 by season’s start, so that’s about the best he can offer. His ground-ball rate is right around 50%, so his luck might marginally improve if the Nationals upgrade their infield defense by shopping Ian Desmond to clear room for Danny Espinosa. But not even Ozzie Smith could move Stammen to the front of the rotation or the early rounds of a fantasy draft. (Alex Remington)

The Quick Opinion: A candidate for the back of the Nationals' rotation. A lot will have to break right for him to be anything more than mediocre.

Profile: The right-hander can be useful to supplement a fantasy owner’s bullpen in deep leagues due to his ability to generate swinging strikes, but the presence of Drew Storen and Tyler Clippard should prevent Stammen from nearing the closer’s role and keep him relegated to a seventh-inning role: despite throwing 88.1 innings last season, he only compiled 10 holds. (JP Breen)

Profile: After struggling as a member of the Nationals starting rotation in 2009 and 2010, Stammen has found a home in the bullpen these past two seasons. As it usually happens, his velocity jumped (though not to the degree of the average starter turned reliever) and took his strikeout rate along for the ride. He also induces an above-average rate of ground balls, while displaying acceptable control. His elite swinging strike rate provides optimism for even better strikeout rates, and with his 80+ inning totals, would allow him to earn sneaky value in NL-Only leagues, despite possessing no opportunity to close games. (Mike Podhorzer)

The Quick Opinion: Stammen has established himself as one of the better middle relievers in the National League and a swinging strike rate that ranked 24th among relievers hints at even further upside. He has no chance to save games, but could earn some NL-Only value given his high innings totals and potential for solid ratios.

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